Wire-tightener.



rg0. 689,333. "Patented nee. 17,:199l.

L. F.-TARBELL.

WIRE TIGHTENEB.

. (Application) ld July 14|., 1901.)

(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Shen l.

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Witnesses. Inventor.

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No. 689,333. Patented nee. |7, |901. L. F. TARBELL.

' WIRE TIGHTENER.

(Applicgtion led July 1, 1901.\

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Inventor.

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UNITED STATES LEONARD F.

vATENT TARBELL, OF WESLEY, NEVVAYORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD V TO MERRITT EARL, OF WESLEY, NENV YORK.

WIRE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 689,333, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed July 1. 1901.

T0 @ZZ whont it' may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD F. TARBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wesley, in-the county of Gattaraugus and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Wire-Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved Wiretightener adapted to be used in constructing wire fences, the tightener being operatively arranged relatively to a firmly-seated post and connected to the wire so that movement of the tightener willrtighten or stretch the wire.

The object of the invention is to providea simple, cheap, and easily-operated device of the above character, all of which Willbe fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, in which a preferred adaptation of the invention is shown.

Figure l represents a top plan view of a portion of a fence, showing the improved tightener connected to a wire and post and in position to tighten the wire. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of a portion of a fence, Y

showing the improved tightener connected to a post and wire and in tightening position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved wiretightener. Fig. 4. is a detached side View of the bodyportion of thegripping member with the gripping-blocksin section. Fig. 5 isadetached end view of the body portion of the gripping member. Fig. 6 is a detached bottom view of the lever member. Fig. 7 is a detached top view of the body of the gripping member. Fig. 8 is a detached bottom view of the body of the gripping member. Fig. 9 is a detached view of the bifurcated cam-lever. Fig. lO is a detached View of the body ofthe gripping member, looking in the direction of the arrow X, Fig. 4.

In referring to the drawings for the details of construction like numerals designate like parts.

The invention comprises two members, one of which is adapted to be operatively attached to a fence-post and has an operating-handle, which I term the lever member, and the other member has pivotal support from the lever member and means for gripping the Serial No. 66,628. (No model.)

wire, which I term the gripping member. The lever member is preferably cast in one integral piece and has ahandle l at one end, formed so as to be conveniently grasped by the hand of the operator. A slot 2 extends longitudinally through the opposite end of the lever member and terminates at or near the middle of said lever member, and the bifurc'ations or forks 3, formed by said slot, are spread from each other at their ends, substantially as shown in Fig. 6, and are also bent or offset, as shown in Fig. 3. The object in spreading the ends is to provide for` attachment to the fence post at two separated points, and thereby prevent any twisting or turning movement when operating the device. The extreme ends of the forked portions 3 are sharpened, so that they may embed themselves in a fence-post, substantially as shown in Figs. l and 2. The oiset or angular end will partially iit around a small post, in which itis not practical to embed the points, and thereby support the tightener in position. The forked portions or bifurcations 8 are connected at their spread extremes bya curved bridge 4., substantially as shown in Fig. 6, and the lever is provided with longitudinal flanges or ribs 5 to strengthen the same. Y v

The gripping member preferably consists of a straight flat bar 6, haviugadetleeting and guiding block 7, a gripping-block 8, a segment 9, provided with a series of perforations l0, and a gripping-lever 1l, having a bifurcated end 12, the two parts of which are cams or eecentrics in form and are adapted to operate with the gripping-blockl S. The gripping-lever is pivoted to the bar 6 byapin 13, with the cams l2 in proximity to the grippingblock, as shown in Fig. 3. A set of the guiding and gripping blocks 7 and 8 are located on each side of the bar G, substantially as shown in Figs. 5, 7, and 8, and as one of the cams l2 operates on each side the device is reversible and can be arranged with eitherside up with equal facility. The guiding-blocks 7 are located at the ends of the bar on opposite sides thereof and are provided with a curved inner edge 14, substantially as shown in Fig. 4., and the gripping-blocks 8 are located on opposite sides near the side edge and IOO are each provided with an inner serrated or roughened curved surface 15. Each of the blocks 7 and 8 is provided with upper outwardly-extending flanges 16 and 17, which serve to retain the wire in place, the blocks 7 having the flanges 16 and the blocks S the flanges 17, and the adjacent ends of the opposed blocks are separated to leave a space 18 (shown in Figs. 3 and 4) for the passage of the fencewire 19, substantially as shown in Fig. 4. The edges 20 of the cams or eccentrics 12 are serrated or roughened.

The gripping member is detachably pivoted to the lever member by a pin 21, which can be placed in any one of several openings 22 in the lever member and the proper registering opening of several openings 23 in the bar 6 of the gripping member.

A locking-pin 24 is fastened to the lever member by a flexible connection 25, such as a strip of leather, and isadapted to be placed in anyone of the perforations 10 in the segment i), substantially shown in Fig. 3.

In operation the wire to be tightened is firmly gripped between the gripping-block and the proper cam or eccentric, the points of the lever member are embedded in the fence-post, as shown in Fig. 1, and the lever is turned from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby tightening the wire and also moving it against the post, so that the fasteners, such as staples 26, can be easily driven over the wire into the post, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be noticed by referring` to Fig. 4 that the wire bends slightly in passing between the guiding and gripping blocks. This affords sufficient friction to materially retard the passage of the wire when the cam-lever is loosened and provides a means whereby the wire can be appreciably slackened when desired.

One of the chief advantages of this tightener is that the Wire can be tightened and then fastened in place by one man alone, as the device When in the tightening position (shown in Fig. 2) is retained in place by the 'locking-pin 24, Which is inserted in the detends to draw the contacting and embedded parts of the members more firmly against and into the fence-post instead of pulling the tightener from its position, thereby securely holding it in its tightening position.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a Wire-tightener, a lever member, a gripping member having guiding and gripping blocks on each side and each set 0f blocks being adapted to have the wire pass between them and a bifurcated cam-lever adapted togripthe Wire against the grippingblock of the set between which it passes, substantially as set forth.

2. Awire-tightenercomprisingalever member having a slotted portion; the bifurcations formed by the slot being spread at their ends and provided with sharpened extremes adapted to embed themselves in a fence-post and connected by a bridge and a gripping member having pivotal support in the slotted portion.

3. A wire-tightener comprising a lever member havingabifnrcated portion provided with an offset-end having sharpened extremes and a bridge connecting the bifurcations, and a gripping member pivoted between the bifurcations and having a straight bar provided With gripping-blocks, a curved perforated segment and a cam-gripping lever, substan- -tially as described. o

4. In a wire-tightener, a lever member, and a pivotal gripping member havinga guidingblock anda gripping-block on each side thereof and a lever having gripping means cooperating With both gripping-blocks.

5. In a Wire-tightener, a lever member and a gripping member having an end and a side block arranged on each side thereof, and a lever having a gripping-cam adapted to grip the Wire against one of either set of blocks, substantially as set forth.

6. In a wire-tightener, a lever member having a slotted portion, a gripping member pivoted in the slotted portion and having a set of guiding and gripping blocks on each side, and a gripping-lever having a bifurcated cam end; the cam parts formed by the bifurcations heing adapted to operate against the gripping-block of both sets, substantially as set forth.

7. In a Wire-tightener, a lever member, a pivotal gripping member having a segment provided with a plurality of perforations and a locking-pin adapted to be placed in any one of said perforations,substantially as set forth.

LEONARD F. TARBELL.

Witnesses:

MERRITT EARL, L. M. SANesTER.

IOO 

